Melasma

Melasma is a darkening of the skin caused by excessive production of melain – pigment that causes your skin to tan. This natural discoloration of your face may appear as brown or gray-brown patches on your forehead, cheek and chin. Melasma only occurs on areas of the skin that are exposed to the sun.

Why do I have melasma?

Melasma is a condition that occurs predominantly in women, although it has been know to occur infrequently in men. In fact, about 6 million women are estimated to have melasma.

Melasma may be triggered by changing or fluctuating hormones

Melasma may appear when a woman begins birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy or during the second or third trimester of her pregancy. It’s something malled the “mask of pregnancy.”

Exposure to the sun or to thermal heat, such as ovens, saunas, and facials, may also trigger melasma.